FEATURED DATA

The Data Resource Center provides data tables, charts, and graphs of global temperature measurements and related records obtained through remote sensing, satellite images, and climate modeling. The Center will help you get started in researching the data you need to make informed decisions and recommendations in your final report to the International Panel on Climate Change.

Look carefully at the graphs and charts to analyze the data. Scientists gather and analyze data in order to draw valid conclusions. They find answers by studying objective data. Regardless of personal opinion or popular beliefs, scientists rely on precise data to lead them to correct answers and compelling solutions.

You will find many other sources of data in your research. Links to sites for information and data on global temperatures can be found in the Global Mean Temperatures Internet Resource section. These are some of many sites that provide reliable, scientific data. Make sure that your own sources are trustworthy, science-based sites; avoid sites sponsored by various interest groups that promote their potentially biased point of view.

Global Temperature Trends

The record of global average temperatures compiled by NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. The “zero” on this graph corresponds to the mean temperature from 1961-1990, as directed by the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC).

1999-2008 Mean Temperatures

This figure shows the difference in surface temperatures from January 1999 through December 2008. The average increase on this graph is 0.48 degrees Celsius. The widespread temperature increases are considered to be an aspect of global climate change.

Temperature Anomalies 1880-2010

This graph depicts temperature anomalies from 1880-2010 from meteorological stations, showing both annual means and a five-year mean. The anomalies clearly show a trend of increasing temperatures starting in the 1970s.

Global Land-Ocean Temperature Index

Surface Temperature Record

The graph illustrates average surface temperature measurements from data collected by the Hadley Centre of the UK Meteorological Office and the Climatic Research Unit of the University of East Anglia. The graph also depicts a history of variations in the El Nino Southern Oscillation and the period of eruption of the Mount Pinatubo volcano.

Global Warming Projections

A graph of climate model predictions for global warming with data collected by the SRES A2 emissions scenario. The A2 scenario describes a politically and socially diverse world in which no special actions are taken to address global warming or environmental change issues. This 2100 world has large population, high energy use, and moderate levels of fossil fuel dependency.

Temperature Increase 2000 to 2100

This chart lists research centers, organizations, or laboratories which have conducted extensive global temperature studies. Their predicted inrease in global temperatures to the year 2100 are listed for both land and ocean environments. The data suggests land will warm more rapidly probably becasue of its lower specific heat.

The sources of data are listed below.

CCSR/NIES—Center for Climate System Research/National Institute for Environmental Studies

Global Warming Predictions

The graph shows the predicted temperature change because of global climate change as issued by the Hadley Centre climate model. The colors show predicted average temperature changes for 2070-2100. Notice the distinct warming difference between land and water. The strong warming around the Arctic Ocean is related to melting sea ice, and the strong warming in South America is related to El Nino cycles. (Models differ according to variables considered.)

Risks and Impacts of Global Warming

This Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) table of risks and impacts of global warming depicts an assessment of the relative impact and risks associated with global climate change. Five categories are assessed.The bars are color coded to show level of impact or concern for each factor as a function of temperature increase.

Global Climate Network Temperature Stations

The Global Historical Climatology Network is a primary reference for temperature data used for climatology research. This map shows 7,280 temperature stations coded by years of data records. “Active” sites update the database; historical sites have collected data but do not contribute to current data. The United States is the most densely instrumented region of the globe; Antarctica is the least. The longest record in the network collection began in Berlin in 1701 and continues to the present.

Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector

Data sets from the Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research, version 3.2, Fast Track 2000 project. Use the top graphic to find out the sources and amounts for the greenhouse gases shown in the graphics at the bottom. For example, looking at carbon dioxide, 29.5% of the emissions (shown in red) come from power stations, and 19.2% of carbon dioxide emissions come from transportation fuels (as shown in gold).

Carbon Dioxide Variations

Scientists have drilled deep cores through the icecap in Antarctica. Measurements of CO2 captured in annual ice deposits in the cores allow scientists to reconstruct atmospheric CO2 variations over the last 400,000 years.

Notice the large variations in concentrations every 100,000 years. This occurs because of periodic changes in Earth's orbit.

Notice the additional graph inserted within the larger graph. This shows that CO2 abundance has increased steadily since the Industrial Revolution started in the 1700s and in the last 100 years has increased from about 275 parts per million (ppm) to about 375 ppm. This new high is greater than any CO2 measurement from the last 400,000 years. Is this evidence for natural CO2 variation or human-caused variation? Is there evidence for natural variation in these data?

Carbon Dioxide Concentration and Flux

The top graph shows carbon dioxide concentrations in parts per million by volume (ppmv) for both direct atmospheric measurements and ice core measurements for the years given in the bottom graph. The bottom graph depicts the amount of change inward of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere.

Annual Carbon Emissions

This graph shows the total atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations in million metric tons of carbon/year from 1800-2000. It also shows the atmospheric CO2 concentrations from varying fossil fuel sources as well as from cement production.

Economic Efficiency of Fossil Fuel Usage

The bar graph illustrates how efficiently the world’s 20 largest economies convert fossil fuel usage into a measure of wealth (their gross national product). Here, the measure is purchasing power in U.S. dollars over the number of kilograms of fossil fuel carbon released into the atmosphere each year. The two countries that produce the highest GDP per kilogram carbon, Brazil and France, rely much more on the alternative energy sources of hydroelectric power and nuclear power than other countries.

Urban Heat Islands

By evaporating water, plants cool their surroundings. By replacing plants with impervious surfaces, cities trap heat and create a phenomenon known as the urban heat island. A variety of factors affect the urban heat island. Bigger cities tend to have stronger heat-trapping capacities than smaller cites. Cities surrounded by forest have more pronounced heat islands than do cities in arid environments. A study presented at the 2010 fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union found that a city’s layout—whether sprawling or compact—can also affect the potency of its urban heat island.

This image shows Buffalo, NY, on Aug. 3, 2002. Acquired by the Enhanced Thematic Mapper on NASA’s Landsat 7 satellite, they show temperature, ranging from blue (warm) to beige (hot). White lines delineate city limits. The researchers found that Buffalo has surface temperatures just 7.2 degrees Celsius (almost 13 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than its surroundings.

Earth Now: Air Temperature

NASA's Earth Now is an application that visualizes recent global climate data from Earth science satellites, including surface air temperature, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, and water vapor as well as gravity and sea level variations. Data sets are visually described using "false color" maps. Color-coded legends are provided to indicate relative strength or weakness of an environmental condition. The resulting 3D model of the Earth may be rotated by a single finger stroke and may also be zoomed in or out by pinching two fingers. It was developed by the Earth Science Communications and Visualization Technology Applications and Development Teams at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, with support from NASA headquarters.